Sheet-metal box.



wi tmeooao E. NORTON.

i SHEET METAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,

I Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN NORTON, OF PAGET WEST, BERMUDA.

' SHEET-METAL BOX.

- ence marked thereon.

the'cover applied to the box.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sheet metalboxes, and more especially to boxes which are stamped up in a singlepiece from sheet metal and are so constructed that one box may be nestedwithin another, during shipment.

An object of the invention is to provide a box of the above character,with a supporting flange at its upper edge, on which the nested boxesrest so as to prevent the sides of the boxes from wedging together.

A further object of the invention is to provide a box of the aboveconstruction with a coating of sealing material, which is placed insideof the curled flange on the body of the can, whereby the curled portionof the flange protects the coating, and properly houses the same.

These and other objects will in part be obvious, and will in part behereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of theinvention, Figure 1 is a sectional view through a plurality of boxes,which are nested together, each of which embodies my invention. Fig. 2is an enlarged detail showing the flange on the body of the box with thecoating applied thereto, and before said flange is curled to protect thecoat. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the flange after it is curled,and also Fig. A is a similar view showing the flange on the cover, andthe flange on the body of the box, rolled into a double seam. Fig. 5 isa plan view of a box having my improvement applied thereto.

In carrying out the invention, I preferably form the body of the boxfrom a single piece, by stamping the same from tin plate or other sheetmetal which may be coated with a non-corrosive substance. From certainaspects of the invention however, the sheet metal may be the ordinaryblack sheet having the inner surface thereof coated with lacquer,aluminum, or any other non-corrosive material.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 4. 1912.

Patented Nov. 25, 191 3. Serial No. 701,492.

The invention relates more particularly to the construction of the box,and not t the material fro-m which the box is made. Said box is formedwith the sides thereof tapering o slightly outwardly toward their upperedg s. whereby one box may be nested within the other. The upper edge ofthe box is formed with a flange which may be trimmed to the properwidth. The under face of the flange 5 is coated with a suitable plasticsealing material, after which the outer edge of the flange is curleddownwardly and inwardly, so as to provide a part projecting underneaththe packing to protect the same, and this projecting part of the flangealso serves as a support f r the cans when nested together.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

the invention consists of a metal box 1, which is as above noted,stamped from a single 7.5

sheet of metal. The sides 2, of the box are tapered outwardly toward theupper edges 3 thereof. The bottom of the box is formed with a downwardlyprojecting bead4. This head 4 is located within the margin of the sobottom of the box, and between said bead and the margin of the box, saidbottom is scored. The purpose of this head and the scoring formed in thebottom, is to provide an easy way of opening the box. When the box isclosed, if pressure is applied to the head 4 either by striking orotherwise, said bottom will be sheared off at the score 5, thus givingaccess to the contents of the box.

This construction of the bottom of the box forms no part of the presentinvention, but is shown, described and claimed, in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 304,508, filed March 6th, 1906.

The upper edges 3 of the box 1 are bent outwardly to form a flange 6.This flange may be trimmel so as to form a uniform flange of the desiredwidth. The under face of the flange is coated with a coating roll orother means, so as to provide a. strip of sealing material 7, whichextends entirely around the flange on the box. After the coating isapplied to the under face of the flange, said flange is curled as at 8downwardly and inwardly, to provide an inwardly' projecting lip 9, whichprojects over the coating applied to the flange.

When the boxes are nested as shown in Fig. 1, this lip 9 on the curledpart of the flange, will rest on the upper face of the flange of the boxin which it is placed, and said inner box will thereby be supported bythe flange solely of the next adjacent outer box. In other words, thisdownwardly turned part of the flange is so proportioned that theinwardly bent part is spaced from the outwardly bent part of the flange,and this inwardly bent part supports the boxes when they are nested, andthereby prevents the side faces of the boxes from wedging together, soas to permit the same to be easily separated. By this construction, Ianrable to nest together for shipment, a number of boxes and thus reduceto a minimum the cost of shipment. Furthermore, when said boxes arenested, the packing or the sealing material, will be efl'ectively housedbetween the flanges of the boxes, and kept free from dust and dirt, andalso from abrasion during transportation.

The cover 10 is shaped so as to fit within the upper end of the box, andis formed with a flange 11 adapted. to rest upon the flange formed inthe body'of the box, and also to be rolled into a double seam with saidflange on the box body. In Fig. 3 I have shown the cover in place on thebody of the box, with the flange projecting laterally therefrom. In Fig.4, I have shown the two flanges rolled into a double seam and thepacking or sealing material as effectively closing or sealing saiddouble seam. This roll or curl on the outer edge of the flange of thebody of the box not only serves as a means for protecting the sealingmaterial and as a means for supporting the boxes when nested, but willalso aid in the forming of the double seam as the flange is therebygiven an initial curl, which not only assists in rolling the same into adouble seam, but also assists in the proper rolling of the flange on thecover into said double seam.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and inthe shape of the box may be made, without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

A sheet metal box consisting of a bottom and side walls, said side wallsbeing slightly tapered outwardly toward their upper edges, whereby onebox may nest another, said side walls at their upper edges being bentoutwardly to form a flange, said flange having a coating of sealingmaterial applied thereto on its under face, the outer edges of saidflange being bent downwardly and inwardly, said inwardly bent portion ofthe flange being spaced from the outwardly bent portion thereof, wherebysaid sealing material is protected, and a support is formed for thenested boxes which prevents said nested boxes from wedging together.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signa ture, inthe presence of twoWitnesses.

EDWIN NORTON.

